Taste of the Adriatic

You can tell a place is hot by the number of countries that claim it.

Istria, a gorgeous peninsula nestled between the Bay of Kvarner and Gulf of Trieste at the crown of the Adriatic Sea, is a region that’s had many masters over the millennia. It’s been part of the Venetian, Byzantine and Roman empires, and in the 20th century alone, Austria, Italy and Yugoslavia have all claimed its land. It should come as no surprise then that three countries currently share the peninsula: Croatia, Slovenia and Italy.

If this were a child, it’d certainly have issues.

The result of the ruling musical chairs, however, is a territory with a rich, diverse, cultural heritage. Foodies love the peninsula for its creative twists on Italian favorites, and with ports throughout, Istria is a fish-lovers dream. Pula, on its southern tip, is just one of its many regions overflowing with vineyards, and Istria’s truffles rival the best in the world. Geographically, the region offers excellent hiking in its mountainous interior and endless water activities in its many seaside towns. If America claimed Istria, we could throw in a desert and call it Euro-California for its diverse terrain.

The one downside is that it’s difficult to pick just one place to visit. Rovinj delivers the romantic atmosphere of an old Venetian city, while Porec offers wonderful beaches, the cave of Baredine and the Euphrasian Basilica. A royal invite could get you to the 14 private islands of Brijuni, while Rabac is a popular resort town on the Kvarner Bay coast. The list goes on and on, but fortunately Istria isn’t such a huge territory that you can’t visit several towns on one trip.

Istria’s best towns arguably reside in Croatian territory, and with Croatia joining the E.U. next year, Americans will soon face less favorable exchange rates. When it comes to visiting this treasured peninsula, there truly is no time like the present.

Photos (top to bottom) by Tkrajina (Porec), Orlovic (Pula) and Nick Fraser (Piran), all courtesy of Wikipedia.